Wilmington, Del. – U.S. Senator Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.) today released a statement after the United States launched military strikes against Iran:

“Iran is a dangerous regime and must never be allowed to obtain a nuclear weapon. For decades, it has been the primary financier and supporter of terrorism around the world. The threat Iran poses to the region, our allies, and the United States is real.

“But President Trump’s reckless actions demonstrate a troubling lack of clear foreign policy strategy. He has inched us closer to war on a whim and the last thing we need is another open-ended war in the Middle East. The American people have made it abundantly clear that they are done with forever wars.

“The safety of our troops and innocent civilians across the Middle East must come first. I am praying for their protection. Escalation without a clear strategy risks putting Americans in harm’s way and sets a dangerous precedent, signaling to adversaries like China and Russia that there are no consequences to aggression.

“Additionally, these strikes were carried out without meaningful consultation with Congress or the American people. There is currently a bipartisan War Powers Resolution, and Congress should immediately return to Washington to hold a debate and vote. The Constitution is clear: decisions that risk drawing our nation into war cannot be made unilaterally. If further military action is necessary, the administration must come to Congress and seek explicit authorization. This is our constitutional duty.

“I will continue to monitor the situation and am keeping our service members in my prayers.”

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Senator Lisa Blunt Rochester represents Delaware in the United States Senate where she serves on the Committees on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs; Commerce, Science, and Transportation; Environment and Public Works; and Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.